Tatum (L) and Brown (R) Finally Get Their Rings
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Andrew Rosario – Sports Editor
The Dallas Mavericks were left for dead after the first 3 games of the NBA Finals as the Boston Celtics took the first 2 games at home and held on for game 3 in Dallas. Game 4 saw the Mavs wake up knowing it was win or go home. In the third largest margin of victory in NBA Finals history, Dallas played one of their best games of the postseason leading to a 122-84 win. Luca Doncic scored 25 of his 29 points in the first half and Kyrie Irving, who had been having a horrible Finals scored 21. Game 5 took place Monday night back in Boston with the Celtics looking for their 18th title.
Dallas was hoping the momentum from game 4 would carry over forcing a game 6 back in Dallas. No team in the Finals had ever come back from a 3-0 deficit. 156 teams tried. 156 teams lost. Make that now 157 as the Boston Celtics returned the favor destroying the Dallas Mavericks 106-88 hoisting the Larry O’ Brien trophy for the 18th time. More titles than any other NBA team.
From the start, it looked like it would be a long night for Dallas as they missed 7 of their first 8 shots. They did regroup briefly getting within 1-point at 19-18. That would be the beginning of the end for the Mavs as Boston closed out the quarter on a 9-0 run taking a 10-point, 28-18 lead.
At one point, the Celtics were up by 26 points with guard Jayson Tatum leading all scorers with 31 points. His teammate Jaylen Brown finished with 21 points and was awarded the Bill Russell MVP Trophy. Doncic led Dallas with 28 and for another night, Irving was a non-factor scoring just 15 points on 5-16 shooting. The Mavs 3-point shooting was horrendous as they attempted 37 shots making only 11.
So, the Boston Celtics finished the regular season with a 64-18 record and a postseason record of 16-3. Second year head coach Joe Mazzulla became the 2nd youngest to win a title since Russell did it in 1969. Said Mazzulla after, “you have very few chances in life to be great.”
Tatum and Brown had played 107 games in the playoffs before winning their first championship. The most games for any duo. Said Tatum, “I share this with my brother’s and partner in crime,” referring to Brown.
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